Before my sister died a few months back, she asked me to make a playlist of her favorite songs to be aired in the background during a remembrance celebration.
Music meant the world to her. A trained musicologist with a special affinity toward the music of Renaissance, she could hear the one note in a symphonic concert that was wrong. She thrilled to everything from a Chopin polonaise or Beethoven concerto to a hip tune by Trombone Shorty or Rage Against the Machine.
Her playlist wasn’t an easy build, emotionally or mechanically. It ripped my heart creating the list of 101 songs. As she weakened, I asked how I was to order the eight-plus hours of songs for the gathering of her friends, particularly since one droning passage [Arvo Part] lasted 30 minutes. Answer: “Put it on random.”
In that spirit, we thought you’d enjoy these “perfect playlists” curated for the City Paper by people you may recognize. —Andy Brack
Grace McNally-Lareau’s
Mom-to-be Perfect Playlist
Right now, all of my free time is consumed with preparing for our son’s arrival in early June and the next chapter of life, motherhood! I made this playlist of songs that remind me of my own mother, childhood and songs that I love and bring me joy/peace. I plan to listen to it in early labor and musically it’s all over the map!
—Grace McNally-Lareau, guitarist, composer, radio host and marketer for Charleston Jazz
- “Peace Piece,” Bill Evans
- “TYRANT,” Beyonce, Dolly Parton
- “Doudou,” Ali Farka Toure,Toumani Diabate
- “Cherie,” Baaba Maal
- “Rain Forest,” Bla Sete
- “Shaking The Tree,” Peter Gabriel
- “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” Paul Simon
- “The Obvious Child,” Paul Simon
- “Graceland,” Paul Simon
- “Africans Unite (Youela),” Baaba Maal, Luciano
- “Jump in the Line,” Harry Belafonte
- “Andar come fe,” Gilberto Gil
- “I’ll Take You There,” The Staples Singers
- “Coming Home,” Leon Bridges
- “Blessings,” Chance the Rapper, feat. Jamila Woods
- “The Garden,” Bobby McFerrin
- “Yamore, ” Salif Keita, Cesaria Evora
- “Are You Having Any Fun?,” Elaine Stritch
- “Hu-ta-Nay,” Donald Harrison, Dr. John
- “Under African Skies,” Paul Simon
Hollie Anderson’s
Perfect Playlist of Old and New Favorites
This list is made up of some old and new favorites, fun songs to sing and dance to, and good poolside listening.
—Hollie Anderson, former Charleston radio deejay and City Paper staffer who now works at Charleston Magazine
- “Clouds of Camarillo,” Brazzaville
- “The Sound of Sunshine,” Michael Franti
- “Don’t you Evah,” Spoon
- “Naked & Alive,” Milky Chance
- “Super Bon Bon,” Soul Coughing
- “High in Low Places,” Beach Weather
- “Feel it Still,” Portugal the Man
- “I Got A Thing For You,” Jim Bianco
- “Along for the Ride,” Coin
- “Richest Man in Babylon,” Thievery Corporation
- “Drop the Game,” Flume and Chet Faker
- “Here Comes Your Man,” The Pixies
- “Neverender,” Justice & Tame Impala
- “Bad Dreams,” Teddy Swims
- “Black Out Days,” Phantogram
- “Plastic Soul,” Mondo Cozmo
- “So Cold,” Balu Brigada
- “True Faith,” New Order
- “Crystallized,” The XX
- “Starburster,” Fontaines DC
Reggie Burgess’
Perfect Playlist
North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess says his favorite songs range from gospel to old school hip hop. They reflect his “faith, memories, relationships and the values that have guided his remarkable journey to becoming the mayor of North Charleston.” And here’s what he said about the song by Charleston native Darius Rucker: “Little known fact: Darius is my brother by blood. I’m proud of his success and the history he has made in country music!”
- “Jesus is the Best Thing,” James Cleveland
- “Hold My Mule,” Shirley Caesar
- “Praise is What I Do,” Shekinah Glory Ministry
- “The Lord is Able,” John P. Kee.
- “That’s the Way of the World,” Earth, Wind & Fire
- “I Say a Little Prayer,” Aretha Franklin
- “My Girl,” The Temptations
- “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye
- “Somewhere in My Lifetime,” Phyllis Hyman
- “My Adidas,” Run DMC
- “The Message,” Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
- “We Got Our Own Thing,” Heavy D
- “Wagon Wheel,” Darius Rucker
- “Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris Stapleton
- “The Thunder Rolls,” Garth Brooks
- “Affirmation,” George Benson
- “Betcha Don’t Know,” Najee
- “After Hours,” Ronnie Jordan
- “Better Days Ahead,” Norman Brown
- “Sacred Kind of Heart,”Grover Washington Jr.
Vincent Harris’s
Perfect Pure Dopamine Playlist
Here are 20 songs that help me get out of bed in the morning. They also help me go to bed at night. They’re busy songs, OK?
—Vincent Harris, longtime City Paper music writer
- “Body Count’s In The House,” Body Count
- “Let Me Entertain You,” Robbie Williams
- “Who Made Who,” AC/DC
- “Out Of The Woods,” Taylor Swift
- “Golden Hour,” Twinemen
- “All The Best,” John Prine
- “King For A Day,” Faith No More
- “It’s Only Over When….,” Bad Religion
- “Beyond Belief,” Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- “Asking For A Friend,” Chvrches
- “Common People,” William Shatner
- “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” The Charlie Daniels Band
- “El Matador,” Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
- “All Night Long,” The Mavericks
- “Yachts & Wars,” Sody City Riot
- “Wolves,” Wu-Tang Clan feat. George Clinton
- “Sheep,” Pink Floyd
- “Here Come De Honey Man,” Miles Davis (live Montreux version)
- “Desperadoes Under the Eaves,” Warren Zevon
- “Maggot Brain,” Funkadelic
Marco Werman’s
Perfectly Reliable Playlist
Note on why I chose these tracks for a perfect playlist: If it’s “perfect,” it’s got to be about music that makes me happy but not in a thumb-sucking way. When times are tough, I turn to these reliable tracks that feel like home.
—Marco Werman, host and executive editor of “The World,” a radio coproduction of WGBH and PRX heard daily on South Carolina Public Radio
- “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me),” The Staple Singers
- “Yes, I’m Ready,” Barbara Mason
- “Hang on Sloopy,” Arsenio Rodrigues and The Afro-Cubano Sound
- “Sueños de California,” Los Tijuana Five
- “Blowin’ In The Wind,” Stevie Wonder
- “Jiin Ma Jiin Ma,” Orchestra Baobab
- “Luzolo,” Franklin Boukaka
- “One Step Ahead,” Aretha Franklin
- “Ain’t Misbehavin’ (I’m Savin’ My Love for You),” Leon Redbone
- “Al Aseel,” Abdel Halim Hafez
- “Singing the Blues,” Allen Toussaint
- “Valerie (‘68 Version),” Amy Winehouse
- “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” Angelique Kidjo
- “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,” Bettye Swann
- “No Mas,” Ana Tijoux
- “Grandma’s Hands,” Bill Withers
- “Do You Want to Dance,” Bette Midler
- “Summertime,” Billy Stewart
- “High Tide or Low Tide,” Bob Marley and The Wailers
- “It Never Entered My Mind,” Miles Davis Quintet
Charles Carmody’s
Perfect Garden Grief Playlist
The perfect playlist can change so much for me based on my space and what I am doing. There is a perfect dinner playlist, a perfect workout, or chill vibe or Sunday afternoon or season or beach or grieving playlist.
This grouping of 20 songs is not my favorite songs of all time. I wanted to create the perfect playlist for a specific time and place. One of my peace and joy places has become my garden. … The joy that the morning and the sun and the garden bring me is immense these days. After creating the playlist, I played it for my partner whose response was, “Is this a playlist about grief?” So maybe it is that too. Life and death. Joy and grief. Picking a strawberry from the dirt. No matter how you interpret it, I hope it makes you feel the feels.
—Charles Carmody, director of the Charleston Music Hall and the Music Farm
- “Flicker,” Jonsi
- “Pulaski at Night,” Andrew Bird
- “Hannah Sun,” Lomelda
- “This must Be the Place,” Talking Heads
- “Die Young,” Sylvan Esso
- “Raconte-Moi Une Histoire,” M83
- “Suddenly Everything Has Changed,” The Flaming Lips
- “Running, Returning,” Akron/Family
- “Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It,” Kishi Bashi
- “Wedding Song,” Anais Mitchell, feat. Justin Vernon
- “John Taylor’s Month Away,” King Creosote and Jon Hopkins
- “Mystery of Love,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Sprained Ankle,” Julien Baker
- “Spanish Sahara,” Foals
- “Age of Consent,” New Order
- “Certainty,” Big Thief
- “Nobody,” Mitski
- “Chinese Translation,” M. Ward
- “Holocene,” Bon Iver
- “Heroes,” Peter Gabriel
John Price’s
Perfect Classic Rock Playlist
There’s a lot of classic rock ’n’ roll in North Charleston lawyer John Price’s perfect playlist. Which makes sense, since he jams with his band, J.P. and the Moonshine Boys.
- “Hey Jude,” The Beatles
- “Stealin’,” Uriah Heep
- “Zombie,” The Cranberries
- “Every Time I Think of You,” The Babys
- “Like A Rolling Stone,” Bob Dylan
- “Man on the Moon,” REM
- “Keep On Smilin’,” Wet Willie
- “Back In The USSR/Dear Prudence,” The Beatles
- “Do You Know What I Mean,” Lee Michaels
- “Thunder Road,” Bruce Springsteen
- “I Fought The Law,” The Clash
- “Love Train,” O’Jays
- “Baba O’Riley,” The Who
- “Worry About You,” Rolling Stones
- “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” Harold Melvin
- “Doctor My Eyes,” Jackson Browne
- “Snowblind,” Black Sabbath
- “Day Tripper,” The Beatles
- “Get Off My Cloud,” Rolling Stones
- “Brandy,” Looking Glass
Andy Brack’s
Perfect Playlist
A lot of this music is from college days. Despite being mostly fast, it brings odd comfort.
—Andy Brack, editor and publisher, Charleston City Paper
- “Los Angeles,” X
- “Ultraviolet,” The B-52’s
- “Bodies,” The Sex Pistols
- “Talk Dirty (To Me),” RomeoVoid
- “I’m So Bored with the U.S.A.,” The Clash
- “In the Midnight Hour,” The Jam
- “I’m the Man, “Joe Jackson
- “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell),” Squeeze
- “Precious,” The Pretenders
- “When I Write the Book,” Rockpile
- “Burning With Optimism’s Flames,” XTC
- “It’s Alright For You,” The Police
- “I’ve Been Everywhere,” Johnny Cash
- “Mrs. Robinson,” The Lemonheads
- “I Will Survive,” Cake
- “Her First Mistake,” Lyle Lovett
- “Roadrunner,” Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
- “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding,” Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul,” James Brown
- “Southbound,” The Allman Brothers
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